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§ THE GLASS FACTORY. §
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###@$§;-:¨ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ AND A GIFT SHOP. ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ CONSIDERED POOR. ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ SOME ARE SHATTERED. ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ §§ ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ §§ §§ ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ ------- § § ------- ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ §§ §§ ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ §§ ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ LIT FROM BEHIND. ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
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###@$§;-:¨ §§ ¨:-;§$@###
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###@$§;-:¨ §§ ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ FLOOR. ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ BECOME STILL. ¨¨:-;§$@##
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###@$§;-:¨ ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ¨:-;§$@###
##@$§;-:¨¨ I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ¨¨:-;§$@##
#@$§;-:¨¨¨ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ¨¨¨:-;§$@#
##@$§;-:¨¨ ¨¨:-;§$@##
###@$§;-:¨ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ¨:-;§$@###
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